Abstract
OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the rate of canine retraction, mesial movement of molar and pain perception in maxillary first premolar extraction patients with or without flapless cortical perforations (FCPs). METHODS: Thirty adult patients with class II div I malocclusion were randomly allocated with the help of SPSS software to either perforation or conventional group for carrying out this randomized parallel group-controlled trial in 1:1 ratio. Maxillary first premolars were extracted and after canine retraction, distance between the tip of the canine and midpoint of incisal edge and the distance between the cervical midpoints on the height of contour of respective cinguli was measured. Also, mesial movement of molar and pain perception were assessed in both groups. Three bilateral cortical FCP of 1.5 mm diameter were made in the perforation group. Data were analyzed with the help of SPSS software with an intention-to-treat the FCP approach. RESULTS: Significant canine retraction in patients with FCP (mean retraction of 6.68 ± 0.60 [measured at crown tip level] and 5.97 ± 0.71 mm [measured at mid cervical level]) was revealed, while patients with conventional mechanics had mean retraction of 2.54 ± 0.49 and 2.33 ± 0.46 mm. Mesial movement of molar also showed significant difference (FCP = 0.48 ± 0.11 mm and Conventional = 0.65 ± 0.19 mm). Pain perception in control group was significantly lower in day 1 and 2. CONCLUSION: FCPs are an effective method of accelerating the rate of canine retractions by 2-3 fold of tooth movement, however, pain perception was high in day 1 and 2.